"The autopsy showed numerous abrasions, but only one wound to the head," Dees told the judge.

Buckley had numerous abrasions, but the cause of death was a closed head injury due to blunt trauma, undoubtedly caused by the fall, said Dees.

Although the action was too fast for witnesses to be certain, Dees added, there was some indication that David Buckley accidentally bumped his brother across the wall.

There also were statements that people coming to Craig Buckley's aid dropped him on his head again.

"I don't see any concerted action by either defendant," Dees told the judge. "(Craig Buckley) voluntarily joins in a fight started by his brother David.

"It was a voluntary fight among five men," Dees said.

Eubanks and Nelson were arrested and charged Nov. 24 with manslaughter. Nelson also was charged with aggravated assault.

David Buckley was charged with aggravated assault.

A $250,000 bond was set the following day for Eubanks and Nelson.

Buckley's bond was set at $10,000. However, because he also had an outstanding warrant for violating probation in Hillsborough County, he was kept in the St. Johns County jail.

The State Attorney's Office on Dec. 19 upgraded the charges against Eubanks and Nelson to second-degree murder, punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

In August 2002, David Buckley pleaded no contest to assault and served 60 days in jail.

On Feb. 18, 2003, almost 15 months after the fight, Eubanks and Nelson pleaded no contest to manslaughter. They were sentenced to prison in March 2003.

Assistant State Attorney Matt Foxman said the state would not oppose a "downward departure" in the sentence.

"No one is saying David Buckley's behavior was appropriate," Foxman said. "He was criminally prosecuted."

"This case seems to be a terrible injustice," said attorney Wayne Henderson, who happened to be in court for Thursday's hearing.

"Scared for their lives and without any belief of fair trial, they decided to enter a plea and hope for the best at sentencing," He added. "From what was heard in court, neither man should have been charged, and a conviction at trial seemed remote."

Perhaps as many as 40 people filled both sides of the spectator section for last week's hearing.

They heard several witnesses testify to Eubanks' and Nelson's good character.

Kenneth Eubanks "is a sweet, caring person," said Putnam County Sheriff's Deputy Gwendolyn Styles. "He is an all-around good guy."

Eubanks' wife, Shirley, had to pause several times, unable to talk through her tears.

"I've never known Kenneth to be the vicious man" that he was portrayed in court, she said. "He's a good Christian man."

Though Nelson had never been arrested, and Eubanks had one charge of carrying a concealed weapon, David Buckley's police history showed 30 arrests in Florida and Georgia, Stepniak said.

Several witnesses said the Buckleys had been drinking since they arrived at the bridge, at 7:30 a.m. or so -- nearly six hours before the fight.

Dees pointed out that the autopsy revealed Craig Buckley had a 0.259 blood alcohol count.

"The Buckleys were wrong," Dees told the judge. "This was a public bridge. Anyone can use it. They had no right to tell people to move.

"He had no right to pull a knife. "

The long prison sentence "justifies what the Buckleys did," Dees added. "I think the court should let him go back to his family."

Traynor said he had reviewed the case file and wanted time to consider the witnesses' statements. He scheduled another hearing for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, at which time he will announce his decision.